Nicholas Browning, Sr.

[egibbons.ged] !FAMILY RECORDS: Doc #126: Family records obtained from Ed Riley, (JEDWRILEY@aol.com); sen t to me by Jeanne Mohundro (MohundroPA@aol.com) West Chester, PA.; 24 Jun 199 7. !OCCUPATION: Nicholas was a farmer !BIRTH: Brownings in America - Believes Birth to be about 1726 in Culpep er Co., VA. Nicholas Browning I. Nicholas Browning of the state of North Carolina and county of Caswell being weak in body but of sound mind, memory and understanding do this twenty third of October in the year of our lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty six make and publish this my last Will and Testament and none other. First I recommend my soul to god and my body to be buried in a Christian manner at the desecration of my executor as I shall nominate and appoint and as to the worldly estate where with it hath pleased god to bestow me, I do dispose of the same in manner and form following. --Viz-- Item First I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Sarah, the third part of all my estate real and personal as not to disturb Joseph Jones where he now lives; Secondly, at her death for all the land to be sold to the highest bidder and equally divided between my two daughters, Sarah and Jean to them and their heir and assigns for ever. Item: I give and bequeath to my son Enos Browning, one feather bed and furniture to him, his heirs and assigns for ever. Item, I give and bequeath to my beloved daughter Jean, one feather bed and furniture and forty shillings in money more than those above mentioned; Thirdly; after these legacies are taken out of my estate, Enos and daughter Jean; the remainder that is left to be equally divided between my two daughters above mentioned to be sold and equally divided; Fourthly; my son Francis, John, Charles and my daughters Mary and Elizabeth I cut off from having any part or right or title to any of my estate where with I am now posses with only one shilling sterling to each of them at my decease. Fifthly; I nominate and appoint Edmond Browning my beloved Brother and Joshua Browning my hole and sole executors of this my Last Will and Testament, revoking all other wills or wills, and this only to be my Last Will and Testament and none other in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day an date before written. Nicholas Browning Signed Sealed and Delivered, in presence of Isaac Corin and James Hopper Recorded in Book B folio 166 Caswell County N. C.

GEDCOM Note

>Essex Co was later Spotsylvania Co, and or Caroline Co. a VA Colony

>Caswell Co., NC was established in 1777 from Orange Co.

>Culpeper Co., VA was formed from part of Orange Co. VA in 1738.

>Family Search.org - Information submitted by Lee Minnis is mixed up with the E.F. Browning book - has two browning families mixed together.

>North Carolina Marriages Database - Found a Mary and a Sarah, but they did not fit with this family. Copy of findings filed w/this family.

>Alma Marsells of Slinger WI offers conflicting info - not confirmed, so not recorded except as in this note: Nicholas born abt 1726 in Culpeper, VA - this is possibly mixed up with the EF Browning theory.

>Kindred Konnections web site - found Nicholas Browning & Sara Washburn which confirms all but three of the children I have recorded for this family. Missing are: Nicholas, Martha Jane, and Jonathan. Printout w/this family.

>Dottie Elliott - Family Group Sheet agrees with my records except that she does not have Nicholas Jr & Johnathon listed as children. Group Sheet is filed with this family.

>Ancestry World Tree - found children for Charles Browning of this family and a possible middle name for Elizabeth Lloyd.

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>***WILL of Nicholas Browning - received from Dottie Elliott ***

January Court 1787

WILL OF NICHOLAS BROWNING

In the name of God Amen. I, Nicholas Browning of the State of North Carolina and County of Caswell being weak in body but of sound mind, memory and understanding, do this twenty-third of September in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty six, make and publish this my Last Will and Testament and none other.

First, I recommend my soul to God and my body to be buried in a Christian manner at the direction of my Executor as I shall nominate and appoint - and so to the worldly estate where with it hath pleased God to bestow me, I do dispose of the same in manner and form following, viz:

Item - First I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Sarah the third part of all my estate, real and personal as not to disturb Joseph Jones where he now lives. Secondly, at her death for all the land to be sold to the highest bidder and equally divided between my two daughters Sarah and Jean, to them and their heirs and assigns forever.

Item - I give and bequeath to my son, Enos Browning one Feather Bed and Furniture to him, his heirs and assigns forever.

Item - I give and bequeath to my beloved daughter Jean, one Feather Bed and furniture and forty shillings in money, more than to those above mentioned.

Thirdly, after the legacies are taken out of my estate (for) Enos and daughter Jean, the remainder that is left, to be equally divided between my two daughters above mentioned, to be sold and equally divided.

Fourthly, my son Francis, John, Charles and my daughters Mary and Elizabeth are cut off from having any part or right of title to any of my Estate wherewith I am now possessed with only one shilling sterling to each of them at my decease.

Fifthly, I nominate and appoint Edmond Browning, my beloved brother, and Joshua Browning my whole and sole executors of this my last Will and Testament, revoking all other will of wills, and this only to be my last will and testament and none other. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this Day and Datge before written.

Signed, sealed and delivered in Nicholas Browning (seal)

the presence of

Isaac Boren

James Hopper (his mark)

Proven in court by oath of Isaac Boren Jan 1787.

Notes by Sheila Anne Huff Harrison 20 January, 2001: Try as I might, my memory has let me down again! I can not remember where I got my copy of this will - I thought it came from Dottie Elliott and may well have, but I have no notes to support my belief. Anyway, I have input it into my computer just as it is on my “original copy”. I am wondering if some of the errors were on the ORIGINAL document. (errors such as the one in the last line, “Datge”) All the errors to which I refer are insignificant and do not change the meaning of the will as far as I can see.

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